Category: News

Matís will hold the so-called MAKEathon in four locations in Iceland, from 10 to 18 September, where emphasis will be placed on the utilization of by-products from the fisheries sector. The event is part of the MAKE-it! which is funded by the European Union (EIT Food).

MAKEathon takes place in Reykjavík, Akureyri, Neskaupstaður and in the Westfjords (Bolungarvík / Ísafjörður). This is an innovation competition that focuses on creating something by hand to meet a specific challenge or problem. This time, participants from diverse backgrounds will come together to find solutions to the following challenge:  

How can we increase the value of raw materials from the fisheries sector to make processing more sustainable?

Participants get to work with raw materials, bones and skin of fish, and get the opportunity to "play" with it and make a prototype of a product. The project is carried out in close collaboration with FabLab in Iceland and gives participants a great opportunity to get to know the innovation environment better and also an opportunity to develop their own product.

The MAKEathon in Reykjavík, Akureyri and Neskaupsstaður has to take place mostly via the internet. * Participants get the opportunity to go to FabLab and work on creating their prototype. However, it is optional and participants are welcome to work on the project from home.

MAKEathon program (PDF)

The MAKEathon in Bolungarvík / Ísafjörður takes place in collaboration with the University Center of the Westfjords and participants will meet to work on the project. *

* During the part of the project where participants meet or meet others, all the rules of the authorities related to communication and meetings regarding COVID-19 will be followed.

MAKEathonin is open to everyone, no expertise in fish processing or anything else is required and it is possible to participate and work on the project in parallel with work / school.

To follow information about MAKEathonin, you can go to the event's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MAKEitSEAFOOD.

Hrönn Jörundsdóttir has been appointed director of the Food Administration as of 1 August 

A total of eighteen applications were received for the position of Director General of the Food Administration. Message from the Cabinet says that the Qualifications Committee has considered five candidates suitable for the position of CEO. Subsequently, Kristján Þór Júlíusson, Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture, called for an interview where the individual aspects of the job and the applicants' views were discussed in detail. The Minister was of the opinion that Hrönn was the most qualified to manage the institution for the next five years.

Hrönn has been a director at MATÍS since 2016, where she has led numerous national and international research projects, strategic planning, operations and consulting projects. Hrönn has also been the chairman of the risk assessment committee in the field of food, feed, fertilizers and seed products since 2019. She has also specialized in the field of food safety, risk assessment and risk mediation.

She has a bachelor's degree in chemistry from the University of Iceland and completed an MS degree in environmental chemistry in 2002 from Stockholm University. In 2009 she also completed a doctorate in environmental chemistry from Stockholm University and has worked at MATÍS for the past 11 years.

Matís staff wishes Hrönn success in his new and exciting job.

EIT Food Special Response Fund for COVID-19, Covid-19 Rapid Response Call for Innovation Projects, was launched last May to accelerate the innovation and development of products and services that could be used to support food production and consumers in Europe during the epidemic. 

Matís and Algaennovation received 615.9 thousand euros for the CovidX project, where the intention is to launch a dietary supplement made from spirulina algae. The supplement is specifically designed for the COVID-19 risk groups.

A total of 13 projects received grants from the fund, consisting of 52 institutions and companies. The fund is part of the European Union's COVID-19 response plan.

Further information about the projects can be found here.

Matís now has an online survey, which is part of a Nordic-Baltic study, where the intention is to examine changes in Icelanders' eating habits and consumption behavior due to the COVID-19 epidemic. The aim of the study is to better understand changes in consumption habits and attitudes towards food while the emergency level of civil protection was in force from 6 March to 25 May 2020.

By collecting this data and comparing the results, the survey will shed light on various consumer problems and concerns related to food safety, food supply and food accessibility.

The data will not be personally identifiable in any way. The results of the survey will be compared with surveys conducted in our neighboring countries. They can then be used to examine the decisions and actions of the government and the food producer during the epidemic.

The epidemic has affected us all and in different ways. It has affected our diet and health. He has affected us spiritually and financially. With a better understanding of all these aspects, we will be better equipped to deal with similar situations in the future.

Your participation is invaluable. You can take the survey here. It only takes 15 minutes.

Analysis of the results and summary will then be available on our website when the results are ready.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is now offering an electronic course on the effects of climate change on aquaculture and fisheries and responses to them, both in the form of adaptation and mitigation measures. The course, which is now open to all through the FAO website, was conducted in connection with the ClimeFish research project that has just been completed. Matís oversaw the part of the project that dealt with adaptation to the effects of climate change and the preparation of adaptation plans for aquaculture and fisheries, and therefore played a major role in the preparation of the study material.

The course in question is based on the FAO's extensive work in the field of climate issues in the fisheries sector, in addition to which the main results of the ClimeFish project are utilized. The FAO has been a leader in this field and has published numerous reports and summaries on the impact of climate change on the global fisheries sector and the challenges involved. These include a large audit from the year 2018, which Matís also discussed on his website. The course provides insight into the effects of climate change on aquaculture and fisheries, adaptation and mitigation measures, as well as the methods that have been developed to set up adaptation measures to respond. Anyone interested in raising awareness of the subject can simply create user access through the FAO website and then take the 2-hour course. The course is therefore accessible to everyone but was designed with certain groups in mind, ie. political leaders and parties within the administration, students, experts, project managers and educational representatives within the fisheries sector.

The structure of the course is such that after a detailed introduction, the course material is divided into three units, where the first is intended to increase the general understanding of climate change and its effects in aquaculture and fisheries, the second unit deals with adaptation, adaptation measures and adaptation plans and the third discusses mitigation measures and how they can reduce emissions within the sector.

The course is available in electronic form through the FAO website, where it can also be downloaded free of charge. At the end of the course, a special recognition document can be obtained, in exchange for passing a short final exam.

Matís' approach to assessing the impact of climate change on fisheries and aquaculture, the development of action plans, as well as the development of guidelines and teaching material in those areas, is a good example of how international co-operation in the field of research and innovation builds knowledge and infrastructure for Icelandic society.

The course can be accessed here.

Matís conducts various research, most of which revolve around food in some way. We need people to help us with this research. 

Participation may include, for example:

• Focus group work where food-related issues or products that are in development are discussed.
• Surveys where participants evaluate products at home.
• Opinion polls on food-related issues online.
• Surveys or evaluations of products in Matís' premises at Vínlandsleið 12.

For each study, participants will be selected from the mailing list and invited to participate. Participants in larger projects receive rewards in the form of small gifts, gift certificates, or participation in lotteries.

A participant in a mailing list can at any time request that information about the person in question be removed from the list.

The following factors apply to all Matís research:

• Participants enjoy the utmost confidentiality.
• The names of the participants do not appear anywhere in the publication of the result.
• Participants are always free to participate in the study in question.
• All data will be processed in accordance with the Privacy Act.

Registration on Matís' consumer list takes place here.

Yesterday, International Food Safety Day was celebrated for the second time. Matís is a leader in chemical and microbiological research on food in Iceland. The company's strength lies in a broad base of capabilities, knowledge and infrastructure as well as connections with industry and the countryside. 

Matís' research has been extensive, as the latest and best technology available at any given time has been used in different and varied projects. For example, emphasis has been placed on research into undesirable micro-organisms in food and processing environments, and analytical methods have been developed. Increased understanding of the nature, origin and transmission routes of pathogenic micro-organisms is important to ensure food safety and prevent epidemics and enhance consumer safety. Dissemination of knowledge to the public and the scientific community through the publication of promotional material and articles in journals is an important part of that work.

It is fundamental for Icelandic consumers to be able to trust that the food sold in this country does not threaten public health. It is important to be able to react quickly when food security is threatened. Due to the country's location, it must be ensured that the necessary research and security services are always available. This is especially true for microbiological analyzes where pathogenic micro-organisms can only be detected for a limited time. In the case of an international threat that is simultaneously prevailing in many countries, it is not possible to ensure that foreign laboratories prioritize Icelandic samples.

By implementing European food legislation, Iceland has committed itself to lifting the ban on imports of fresh produce. In order to ensure consumer safety, it is necessary to know the quality of food on the market, both those produced domestically and those imported into the country, including with regard to pathogenic micro-organisms.

Food security has become increasingly important in media coverage around the world in recent years. But there is a lot of contradictory information when it comes to food safety, such as seafood, such as wild fish, but also agricultural products, such as milk and eggs. Negative coverage of Icelandic food can in a short time destroy a positive image that has taken decades to build up and severely hurt Icelanders' export earnings and reduce production and sales in the domestic market. In such circumstances, it is necessary for the government to be able to respond immediately by having high-quality and well-defined scientific data available on undesirable substances and micro-organisms in Icelandic food in order to demonstrate safety and wholesomeness. Of course, the export of seafood and other foodstuffs also depends on the ability to demonstrate wholesomeness with regard to laws, regulations and requirements of buyers.

Reliable data is necessary at all times and therefore requires constant monitoring of the condition of Icelandic food and comparisons with comparable foreign foods sold in Iceland. Icelandic seafood, for example, has long been marketed with an emphasis on purity and wholesomeness. Claims about this, however, are insufficient, it is necessary to support them with reliable data from an independent party. Such data can facilitate the marketing and sale of Icelandic products in demanding foreign markets, as requirements for quality and safety are reflected in product prices.

A more detailed description of the projects can be found at VMST website

Matís is looking for university students for the following jobs on the VMST website:

• Work a laboratory in biotechnology
• Work on research on seafood
• Work in a laboratory in chemical and microbial measurements
• Work in a laboratory in chemical measurements
• Work on research in the circular economy
• Work on research in chemical measurements
• Work in a laboratory
• Food in tourism
• Work in the laboratory and in fish drying
• Work on aquaculture research
• Work in a laboratory in microbiology
• Genetic research
• Assistant in a research project in the field of processing technology
• News dissemination and website setup

Educational and qualification requirements:

• The applicant must be in between studies
• Education specified in each application
• Ability to express oneself in speech and writing in Icelandic and English

The application deadline is June 7th

Further information is provided by the responsible party for each application.

Apply for a job on the VMST recruitment site

Matís has submitted a report to the Ministry of Industry and Innovation describing the results of the activities covered by the service agreement with the Ministry in 2019.

The report can be accessed here.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on food production, sales, distribution and consumption. Under the banner EIT Food and in collaboration with Matís, grants are now being offered for projects to respond to the effects of the epidemic on food production and consumer behavior.

The projects must be effective in the form of marketable products or services this year or early next year and are linked to new supply chains within the food sector, changing consumer behavior, increased food security or improved nutrition.

Matís is looking for Icelandic companies that could take advantage of this opportunity and have an excellent idea (s) for marketable products or services to respond to the effects of the COVID-19 epidemic. Are you interested or have an idea for such a product or service?

If so, contact Guðmundur Stefánsson (gst@matis.is) or Sæmund Sveinsson (saemundurs@matis.is) for more information on Wednesday, May 20th.